Ernest copeland irving



E. C. iRVlNG.

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING RAILWAY'TRAINS IN MOTION.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 13.1915.

1,304,775. Patented May 27, 1919.

ERNEST COPELAND IRVING, OF WESTMINSTER, LONDON, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING RAILWAY-TRAINS IN MOTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2'7, 1919.

Application filed December 13, 1915. Serial No. 66,539.

T 0 all whom it may concern 'Be it known that I, ERNEST COPELAND IRVING, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at London, England, whose post-office address is 148 Palace Chambers, Westminster, London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Controlling Railway-Trains in Motion; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention consists, of an improved system of and apparatus for automatically stopping railway trains should the outside signal be at danger or the track circuit ahead be occupied, the principal object of the invention being to overcome an objection which has been raised by many signal engineers to the several systems of automatic'train stopping or cab signaling heretofore installed, viz., the tendency to take away from the driver the responsibility of seeing and necessity of obeying the outside signals, and, because he knows that his train will be stopped if he should pass a signaling point at such times as the signal .in advance is at stop, 11. e. in the danger position, or the track circuit is occupied and, on the other hand, he also knows that if the signal is at clear, 2'. e. in the safety position, or the track circuit is unoccupied, his train will not be stopped, to thus make the driver careless about his look out, which might result not only in him missing signals but also, due to him not keeping a continual watch ahead, in failure to see obstructions on the track, or like conditions, which might be the cause of an accident.

Systems and apparatus have heretofore been proposed in which should the engine driver fail to observe the outside signals when approaching the signaling position the brakes will be automatically applied to his train, whether the signal is in the danger or stop position or in the safety or goahead position, unless he operates a suitable deviceon the locomotive for preventing application of the brakes.

The present invention relates particularly to systems and apparatus of the kind above set forth.

According to this invention means are provided whereby the operation of the aforesaid device by the engine driver will only be effective for preventing the application of the brakes if the outside semaphore signal is in the safety or clear position or the track ahead is clear for him to proceed, i. e. that if the outside signal is in the danger position or the track ahead is not clear operation of the aforesaid device by the engine-driver will not be effective for preventing automatic application of the brakes.

The apparatus according to this invention comprises an electrically actuated or controlled valve for controlling the application of the brakes and a lever, plunger or other suitable striking or contact device carried on the locomotive in position to come in contact with or strike (and thus be actuated by) an energizable ramp, bar or other suitable contact device on the track and to application valve is or are controlled by a normally open contact adapted to be closed by the engine driver for the purpose of preventingapplication'of the brakes, and the circuit or circuits of the said electro-magnet or electro-magnets and contacts controlling the circuit or circuits are so arranged that unless the semaphore signal is inthe safety position, or the track ahead is unoccupied, and an electric current is consequently put on the aforesaid ramp or contact bar on the track theclosing of the said contact by the engine-driver Will not prevent the application of the brakes, the arrangement being therefore such that in order to prevent automatic application of the brakes two factors or conditions must come into play simultaneously, viz.; the safety or clear condition of the signal or track ahead together with an action performed by the engine-driver, neither of which factors or conditions alone will prevent the brakes tion on the part of the driver and takes an a preciable or comparatively long time to e set the release of the brakes.

Further features of the invention will be pointed out in the claims appended hereto and will be described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawing,

, which illustrates diagrammatically a method of carrying out the invention.

Referring to the drawmg, 1 represents the brake pipe or train pipe of the usual brake system employed on railway vehicles, for instance the well known vacuum brake system, and 2 a branch pipe leading from the train pipe 1 and communicating,

through a suitable valve 3, with the atmosphere, the communication of the pipe 2 and consequently the brake pipe 1 with atmosphere through the valve 3 being however normally shut off by the valve being held in its closed position; 4 is an electro-magnet for actuating the valve 3 the said electro-magnet being normally energized by current from the battery 5. 4 is a relay magnet, which is normally energized by cur rent from battery 5, so that its armatures 6, 6 are normally attracted and held in the position shown closing the contacts 7, 7 which are located in and control the normally closed circuits of the relay 4 and magnet 4* respectively. The relay 4 thus constitutes what is known as a stick relay. As shown one pole of the battery 5 is connected to a contact 8* which is one of a pair of normally closed contacts 8 and 8 the latter contact 8 being connected through the striker 19, relay 4, contact 7, and armature or tongue 6 with the opposite pole of the battery 5. 10 is a switch or contact maker normally held in the open position but adapted when actuated to close a contact 11, the said contact maker 10 and contact 11 being arranged in parallel with the contact 7 and armature or tongue 6.

19 indicates the hereinbefore mentioned contact device or striker mounted on the 10- comotive. As shown the striker 19 consists of a lever pivotally mounted at 19 on a suitable partof the underframe of the locomotive, the lower end of the said lever being adapted to come in contact with the bar or ramp 20.

As shown the entire surface of the striker 19 consists of suitable conducting material being1 automatically applied notwithstand marked 19*; for instance 19 may be a strip of suitable flexible and resilient conducting material secured on the striker 19 and insulated therefrom (the body of the striker 19 may itself be made of a suitable non-conducting material) so that should a portion of the striker 19 be broken away or should a fracture occur which would destroy the continuity of the conductor 19 the circuit through the stick relay 4 and through the electro-magnet of the valve device 3 would be broken thus indicating that the apparatus is out of order.

All of the parts above described (of course with the exception of the ramp 20) are mounted in suitable ositions on the locomotive, for instance t ey may be all mounted in or on the cab of the locomotive excepting the contacts 8" and 8 and the striker 19 which would be mounted on the under-frame of the locomotive.

The ramp or bar 20 is as shown riveted to the web of one of the running rails of the track and the said bar has a sloping or ramped portion 20 of suitable length at each end. As shown the ramp 20 is arranged so that contact of the lever or striker 19 on the locomotive with the said ramp takes place in a lateral direction and the consequent movement of the said striker .or lever 19 is also in a lateral direction. This particular arrangement of the parts is not, however, essential and any other suitable arrangement may be employed, for instance the striker or lever on the locomotive and the ramp on the track may be arranged similarly to those heretofore employed, 2'. 6., the striker or lever on the locomotive may be arranged to work or rock vertically by one of its ends coming in contact with the upper surface of a suitable ramp or contact bar on the permanent way.

The conducting surface 20 of the ramp or bar '20 is suitably insulated from the rest of the ramp and from its connection to the rail, and to this conducting surface 20 a battery 32" or other suitable source of electricity is connected, through a suitable contact or switch 32, when the semaphore signal 33 is in the safety or go-ahead position as shown. If desired the placing of the conducting surface 20 of the bar or ramp in connection with the battery 32 or other source of electricity might be controlled by a relay in connection with a track circuit and in this way the energizing of the ramp The ramp or contact bar 20 on the track instance the braking distance, from the distant or other signal on the approach side thereof,

23 is an insulated union in the hereinbefore mentioned pipe 2 whereby a leakage of current 'to earth through the pipes 2 and 1 is avoided.

As above-mentioned the electro-magnet or stick relay 4 controls, through the armature 6 andcontact 7, the normally closed circuit through the electro-magnet 4 which operates the brake application valve 3. The said armature or tongue 6 in the normal condition of the apparatus (the magnet 4: energized) makes contact with the contact 7 a in the normally closed circuit of the battery 5 and electro-magnet 4 which circuit includes the contacts in connection with the striker 19 and also includes a contact 25 closed by a switch 26. 27 is a normally open switch operable by the engine-driver for'preventing the application of thebrakes as hereinafter described; this switch 27 may be operable by means of a push button or it may be operatively connected to a spring returned plunger, or the said switch may be otherwise suitably arranged so that it is automatically moved to and maintained in the open position and isadapted to be closed by the en gine driver. 27 is the normally, open contact of the switch 27 the said contact being connected to earth as shown.

The switches 10 and 26 are connected to and insulated from a rod or slide 28 which is operatively connected with a screwed spindle 29 working through a suitable fixed nut or screw threaded bearing 30 and provided with an operating handle 31. The screw threads of the shaft 29 and nut 30 are of a suitably slow pitch so that the operations of moving the switches 10 and 26 respectivelyinto the closed and open position and vice versa take an appreciable or comparatively long time, at all eventssuch'as to render the action slow or deliberate as compared for instance with the operation or action of closing the switch 27.

The working of the apparatus is briefly as follows Assuming the apparatus on the locomotive to be in the condition shown, 71. 0. contacts 8%, 8", 7, 7, and 25 closed, and that the train approaching the signal arrives at the position in which the striker 19 on the locomotive comes in contact with the bar or ramp 20, if the semaphore signal 33 is in the safety position, as shown, the engine driver can, by actuating the switph 27 so as to close its contact 27 maintain the electro-magnets 4 and 1 energized notwithstanding that the contacts 8 and 8 are separated by the striker 19 having come in contact with the ramp 20, and consequently the brake application valve 3 isheld closed by the energizing of the electro-magnet 4* as hereinbefore described and no automatic application of the brakes will take place; the electro-magnet 4 is, under these conditions, maintained energized by the current which flows from the contact surface 20 of the ramp 20 through the conducting surface of strip 19 of the striker 19, through the coil of the electro-magnet 4, through the contact 7 and armature 6'and thence through the switch 27, in its closed position, to earth, the electro-magnet 4 being maintained energized by the current flowing from the said conducting surface 20 of the ramp and strip 19 on the striker through the armature 6* and contact 7?, through the contact 25 and switch 26, through the coil of the electro-magnet 4* and through the switch 27, in its closed position, to earth. It will therefore be seen that even with the signal 33 in the safety or go-ahead position, the circuit from the ramp 20 through the coil of the electro-magnet P will not be completed unless theenginedriver has moved the switch 27 into its closed position. On the other hand if, when,

' quently will be of no avail for preventing the brake application valve 3 moving to its open position and thus causing the brakes to be automatically applied, because the circuit of the battery 5 on the locomotive, which normally energizes the coil 4* and holds the valve 3 closed, will have been broken at the contacts 8*, 8" by the striker 19 coming in contact with the ram 20.

Assuming the bra es to have been automatically applied as above-described and that the driver desires to release the brakes so that he can again proceed, by turning the handle 31 in the clockwise direction he can,

through the screw 29 and nut 30, move the switch 10 to its closed position in which it closes the contact at 11 and the switch 26 to its open position in which the contact at 25 is broken; The closing of the contact at 11 will, the striker 19 having passed-clear of the ramp so that the contact at 8 8 is again made, complete the circuit of battery 5 through the coil of the relay 4 which will thus be energized and will attract its armatures 6 and 6 thus again making the contacts at 7 and 7. This making of the contacts 7 and 7 will not however result'in the energizing of the coil of the electromagnet 4: of the valve 3 as the circuitthrough this coil will be broken at the contact 25. In order therefore to complete the circuit of battery 5 through the coil of the electromagnet 4 to thus close the valve 3 and effeet the release of the brakes the enginedriver must turn the screwed spindle 29 in the anti-clockwise direction until the switch 26 again reaches its. closed position closing the contact at 25 whereupon the circuit of battery 5 through the coil of the electromagnet 45 will be completed, the-switch 10 being at the sametime moved to its open position breaking the contact at 11. It will thus be seen that the brakes having been automatically applied by the action of the striker 19 coming in contact with the ramp 20,the semaphore signal 33 being in the danger position,they cannot be immediately released, but that by means of the screwed spindle 29 and the switch 2 6 and contact 25 in connection therewith an' appreciable time must elapse between the action of applying the brakes and the release of the brakes. It will be seen that with the arrangement above described, comprising the switch 26' with its contact 25 operable by the screwed spindle 29 and the con nection of'the switch 26 to the coil of the electro-magnet 4 and the connection of the contact 25 to the contact 7*, should the engine-driver move the switch 26 into its open position at any other time when he requires to release the brakes the result will be that the circuit of battery 5 through the coil of the electro-magnet 4* will be broken so that the brakes will be automatically applied.

Should the train approach an automatic or other signal which, through being out of order, is in the danger or stop position when it should .be in the clear or go-ahead position, the brakes would of course be applied to the train, but, under these conditions, the driver can, by actuating the screw shaft 29 so as to actuate the switches 26 and 10 as h ereinbefore described release the brakes so that he can proceed past the signal at. danger in accordance with the rules laid down for such procedure.

. A suitable casing may inclose such parts of the apparatus above described as should not be exposed.

Although I have hereinbefore described and shown in the drawing certain details of construction and arrangement of apparatus according to this invention. I wish it to be distinctly understood that the invention in its main features is not limited to such details of construction and arrangement as variations might be made in the details of the construction and arrangement of the apparatus without departing from the main features of the apparatus as set out in the appended claims. Further, although I have hereinbefore described and illustrated the apparatus according to this invention for the purpose of automatically applying the brakes should the signal ahead be at danger or the track circuit ahead occupied, yet it will be obvious that the invention is equallyapplicable for use in cab signaling wherein in addition to automatically applying the brakes an audible or a visual signal is given in the cab indicating the position of the outside semaphore signal or the condition-of the track circuit ahead.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a train controlling system the combination, with apparatus at a predetermined point on the permanent way and controlled by the position of the semaphore signal or the condition of the track section ahead, and apparatus on the train adapted to cooperate with the apparatus on the permanent way and including a device adapted to be actuated so as to apply the brakes when the train reaches said point, of manually operable means on the train adapted when moved from an inoperative to an operative position to prevent actuation of the apparatus on the train for applying the brakes when the semaphore signal is at clear or go-ahead or the track section ahead is clear, means rendering the operationof the said manually operable means inefiective for prevent ing actuation of the apparatus on the train and application of the brakes when the semaphore signal is in the danger or stop posi tion or the track section ahead is not clear, and manually operable means on the train for restoring the apparatus on the train to condition enabling the brakes to be released after having been automatically applied;

2. In a train controlling system the com bmation, with apparatus at a predetermined point on the permanent way and controlled by the position of the semaphore signal or the condition of the track section ahead, a brake valve and apparatus on the train adapted to cooperate with the apparatus on the permanent way so as to actuate the brake valve and thereby apply the brakes, of a manually operable device on the train adapted when moved from an inoperative to an operative position to prevent actuation of the brake valve for applying the brakes when the semaphore signal is in the'clear or go-ahead posltion or the track section ahead 18 clear, means rendering the' movement of the said device to the operative position ineflective for preventing actuation of the brake valve and application of the brakes when the semaphore signal is in the stop or danger position or the track section ahead is not clear, and manually operable means on the train for restoring the apparatus on the train to condition enabling the brakes to be released after having been automatically applied.

3. In a train controlling system the comstriker adapted to contact with and to be actuated by the said bar when the train reaches said point, a brake applicatlon valve on the train, connections intermediate the' said striker and the said valve said connections being adapted to invariably operate the valve for automatically applying the brakes when the striker is actuated as aforesaid, a manually operable device on the train which when moved from an inoperative to an operative position prevents the automatic application of the brakes only when the semaphore signal is at clear or the track section ahead is unoccupied, means for rendering the movement of said manually operable device to the operative position ineffective for preventing the application of the brakes when the semaphore'signal is in the danger or stop posit-ion or the track section ahead is not clear, and means operable by the engine driver for enabling him to release the brakes after they have been automatically applied.

4. In a train controlling system, the combination of apparatus at a predetermined point on the permanent way said apparatus including a contact bar and being controlled by the position of the semaphore signal or the condition of the track section ahead, controlling connections between the signal or the track section and the said bar, apparatus on the train said apparatus including a striker adapted to contact with and to be actuated by the said bar, a brake, application valve on the train, connections intermediate the said striker and the said valve said connections being adapted to invariably operate the valve for automatically applying the brakes when thestriker is actuated as afore said, a manually operable device on the train which when moved from an inoperative to an operative position prevents the automatic application of the brakes, means for rendering the movement of said manu-.

ally operable device to the operative position ineffective for preventing the application of the brakes when the semaphore sig nal is in the danger or stop position or the track section aheadis not clear, and slow acting means on the train for releasin the brakes after they have been automatically applied.

5. In a train controlling system, the combination of electric devices on the train includin an electromagnet adapted to effect actuation of a brake valve so as to apply the brakes automatically when the train reaches a predetermined point, electric devices stationed ,at said point and adapted to control cation of the brakes only when the signal is at clear or the track section ahead is unoccupied said switch under other conditions being ineffective for preventing automatic application of the brakes, and a switch op erable by the engine driver for enabling him to release the brakes after they have been automatically applied.

6. In a train controlling system, the com bination of electric devices on the train including an electromagnet adapted to effect actuation of a brake valve-so as to apply the brakes automatically when the train reaches a predetermined point, electric devices stationed at said pointand adapted to control and operate the electric devices on the train,

a switch on the train adapted to cooperate 'with the said electric devices so as to prevent such actuation of the brake valve and application of thebrakes only when the signal is at clear or the track section ahead is unoccupied said switch under other conditions being ineffective for preventing automatic application of the brakes and a switch on the train for restoring the electric devices on the train to condition for releasing the brakes after they have. been automatically applied, and relatively slow acting mechanism for operating the last mentioned switch. i

7. In a train controlling system, electric devices including switches or contacts on the train and electric devices including a contact or contacts at a predetermined point on the permanent way, a brake application controlled and operable bythe said electric devices so as to automatically apply the,

brakes when the train reaches the said point and it is undesirable for the train to proceed, and a switch on the train controlling a circuit through the said operating magnet all arranged and combined in such a manner that the movement of the last mentioned switch from an inoperative to an operative position will prevent automatic application of the brakes when the train reaches the said point and it is desirable or permissible for the train to proceed but will be ineffective for preventing automatic. application of the brakes if it is undesirable for the train to proceed, and a switch operable by the engine driver for enabling him to release the brakes after they have been automatically applied.

8. In a train controlling system, the combination, with electric devices including a' rent supply on the train, contacts or switches contact or switch in connection with the circuit of the electric devices on the permanent way for controlling the flow of current from the source of current'supply on the permanent' way through the said electro-magnet, and a switch on the train which when moved from an inoperative to an operative pos i tion when the said normally open switch is closed will cause the said electro-magnet to maintain the brake valve in position preventing application of the brakes but when said normally open switch is open said electro-magnet will be afi'ected so as to cause actuation of the brake valve and thus automatically apply the brakes when the train reaches said predetermined point, a switch on the train for restoring the electric devices including the electromagnet on the train to condition enabling the brakes to be released after they have been automatically applied, and slow acting mechanism for actuating the last mentioned switch, for the purposes set forth.

9. In-a train controlling system, the combination, with electric devices including a circuit with source of current supply at a predetermined point on the permanent way,

electric devices including a source of current' supply on the train, contacts or switches'controlled by the electric devices on the train, a brake valve on the train and an electro-magnet normally holding said brake valve in position preventing automatic application of the brakes, a normally open contact or switch in connection with the circuit of the electric devices on the permanent way for controlling the flow of current from the source of current sup ly on the permanent way through the said electro-magnet, a switch on the train which when moved from an inoperative to an operative position when the said normally open switch is. closed will cause the said electro-magnet to maintain the brake valve in position preventing application of the brakes but when said normally open switch is open said electro-magnet will be affected so as to cause actuation of the brake valve and thus automatically apply the brakes when the train reaches said predetermined point, and a switch on the train for restoring the electric devices including the electro-magnet on the train to condition for relasing the brakes after they have been automatically applied, and relatively slow acting mechanism operable relatively slowly for actuating the last mentioned switch, for the purposes set forth.

10. In a train controlling system, a brake valve on the train, a magnet for normally holding the brake valve closed, an electric circuit for the. said magnet, means for deenergizing the magnet automatically to open the brake valve when the train reaches a predetermined point, a switch on the train for preventing the automatic opening of the brake valve at will, a switch in said circuit.

for closing it at will after it has been opened automatically, and means which prevent the last said switch from being operated relatively rapidly.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ERNEST COPELAND IRVING.

Witnesses:

W. H. TmsoN, EUSTAGE H. BARKER. 

